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Layers

The layer commands on the Home tab: pick the current layer, switch layers on and off, freeze and lock them, move objects between layers, and save a layer set-up as a named state. Most commands act on the layers of the selected objects; with nothing selected they ask you to click an object.

Layer

The layer list on the ribbon. With nothing selected it shows the current layer, the one new objects land on; with objects selected it shows their layer.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → the Layer list.

How to

1. To change the current layer, select nothing and pick a layer in the list. A frozen layer cannot be made current; thaw it first.
2. To move objects to another layer, select them and pick the layer. Objects on locked layers stay where they are.
3. To change a layer without leaving the list, use the icons in its row: visible, frozen, locked and print. The row also shows the layer colour. Sub-layers are indented under their parent.

If the selected objects sit on several layers, the list shows no layer picked. Picking one layer still moves all of them. Every change is one undo step (Ctrl+Z).

The icons in a row mean:

The current layer cannot be frozen from the list either.

Turn layer off

Hides the layer of the selected objects, or of an object you click.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → Off.

How to

1. Select objects, then click Turn layer off. Their layers are turned off and the selection is cleared.
2. With nothing selected, click the button and then click an object on the layer. The prompt is "Select an object on the layer to turn off."

Turn the layers back on with Turn all layers on or Previous layer state.

Isolate layers

Turns off every layer except those of the selected objects, or of an object you click.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → Isolate.

How to

1. Select objects, or select nothing and click the button, then click an object. The prompt is "Select an object on the layer to isolate."
2. Every other layer is turned off. The layers of the chosen objects are turned on if they were off.
3. Running Isolate again adds to the layers the first run hid.

The command remembers the layers it turned off. Unisolate layers turns them on again. It is one undo step.

Unisolate layers

Turns on the layers that Isolate turned off.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → Unisolate.

If something goes wrong

Turn all layers on

Turns on every layer that is off, as one undo step.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → All on.

If something goes wrong

Freeze layers

Freezes the layer of the selected objects, or of an object you click. Frozen layers are hidden and their objects cannot be selected.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → Freeze.

How to

1. Select objects, or select nothing and click the button, then click an object. The prompt is "Select an object on the layer to freeze."
2. The layers are frozen as one undo step.

If something goes wrong

Thaw all layers

Thaws every frozen layer, as one undo step.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → Thaw all.

If something goes wrong

Make layer current

Makes the layer of the selected object, or of an object you click, the current layer. New objects land on it.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → Make current.

How to

1. Select an object, or select nothing and click the button, then click an object. The prompt is "Select an object whose layer becomes current."
2. The command line reports "Current layer: …". If several objects are selected, the layer of the first one is used.

Match layer

Moves the selected objects onto the layer of an object you click.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → Match.

Before you start

Select the objects to move. Without a selection the button is unavailable ("Select the objects to move first.").

How to

1. Click Match layer. The prompt is "Select an object on the destination layer."
2. Click an object that is not one of the objects being moved.
3. The objects move to its layer as one undo step and stay selected. The command line reports "Moved to layer …".

Objects on locked layers are not moved. Esc cancels the pick.

Previous layer state

Reverts the last change to which layers are on, frozen or locked. It works separately from undo, so it reaches back past later drawing. Colours and names are not touched.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → Previous.

How to

1. Click Previous layer state after changing the on, frozen or locked state of layers.
2. Click again to step back one more change. Each step is itself an undo step.
3. The current layer stays thawed even if the earlier state had it frozen.

If something goes wrong

Lock layers

Locks the layer of the selected objects, or of an object you click. Objects on a locked layer can be selected but not edited.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → Lock.

How to

1. Select objects, or select nothing and click the button, then click an object. The prompt is "Select an object on the layer to lock."
2. The layers are locked as one undo step.

Locked layer fading makes locked objects look paler. Unlock with Unlock all layers or the padlock in the Layer list.

Unlock all layers

Unlocks every layer, as one undo step.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → Unlock all.

If something goes wrong

Merge layers

Moves every object on the layers of the selected objects (and their sub-layers) onto the layer of an object you click, then removes the emptied layers.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → More drop-down → Merge layers.

Before you start

Select objects on the layers you want to merge. Without a selection the button is unavailable ("Select objects on the layers to merge first.").

How to

1. Click Merge layers. The prompt is "Select an object on the layer to merge into."
2. Click an object on the target layer. It cannot be on one of the layers being merged.
3. The objects move, the source layers are removed, and the command line reports "Merged into layer …". It is one undo step.

The default layer is emptied but kept. If the current layer was removed, the target layer becomes current.

Delete layers

Deletes the layer of the selected objects, or of an object you click, together with its sub-layers and every object on them.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → More drop-down → Delete layer with objects.

How to

1. Select objects, or select nothing and click the button, then click an object. The prompt is "Select an object on the layer to delete."
2. The layers and their objects are deleted as one undo step. The command line reports "Deleted … layers and … objects (Undo brings them back)."
3. If the current layer was deleted, the default layer becomes current.

If something goes wrong

Copy to layer

Copies the selected objects, in place, onto the layer of an object you click.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → More drop-down → Copy to layer.

Before you start

Select the objects to copy. Without a selection the button is unavailable ("Select the objects to copy first.").

How to

1. Click Copy to layer. The prompt is "Select an object on the layer to copy to."
2. Click an object that is not one of the selected ones.
3. The copies appear on its layer, at the same place, and become the selection. The command line reports "Copied … objects to layer …". It is one undo step.

Locked layer fading

Sets how pale objects on locked layers are drawn, so it is plain which ones cannot be edited.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → More drop-down → Locked layer fading.

How to

Pick Off, 25%, 50% or 75%. If another value was set in the settings file, none of the entries is shown as picked.

Layer state

A list of the saved layer states. Pick one to restore it; the state the layers match now is ticked.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → More drop-down → Layer state.

How to

1. Save a state first with Layer states.
2. Open the list and pick a state. The layers are set up as it was saved, as one undo step. The current layer stays thawed.

Layer states

Opens the Layer states window, where you save how the layers are set up under a name and restore it later.

Where to find it

Home tab → Layers group → More drop-down → Layer states….

How to

1. Set the layers up the way you want (on, frozen, locked).
2. Open Layer states, type a name in the box and click Save. Pressing Enter in the box does the same.
3. To go back to a state later, select it in Saved states and click Restore, or double-click it.
4. Click Close when done.

Parameters

Every change is an undo step, and the window follows undo and changes made elsewhere.

What next

Layer state · Previous layer state